The Latest Rave is your resource for Utah Canyoneering know-how. From Utah canyon condition reports to narratives of mind-bending epics to wildflower sightings, you will find all the beta you need from Tom and his team on The Rave.
A couple year ago, maybe more than a couple, when walking out the Narrows after Imlay one July, we found some people rapping into the Narrows in an odd place. "What was it like?" I asked.
"A couple long rappels, kinda brushy, not so good" was the answer.
Read MoreAfter a great day in Keyhole (which sounds faintly ridiculous)... Luke came up from Las Vegas, and the question was, what canyons COULD we do. Given the blanket of snow across Zion, Deeps and I kinda thought the only canyon that would be non-epic would be Pine Creek.
Read MoreMr. Deanpaul Russell aka Deeps came down to enjoy our incredible non-winter weather in Zion... except, the day before and the night he drove down, it snowed about 6" in Zion. Winter again! As the weather report predicted clearing in the afternoon, we delayed our start, meeting Jenny down at Deep Creek at 10 am. We geared up and picked up a permit, then headed up to do Pine Creek Canyon. The storm had cleared and the sun was out, melting snow on the slickrock. The flow in Pine Creek was a little more than we were up for, so we drove up the highway a bit, and ventured into Keyhole Canyon.
Read MoreThis is a silly sport. The whole thing. Sliding down ropes in remote places, risking death and destruction on a regular basis, for what?
Read MoreAn excellent adventure. A second Zion Narrows? Hardly. Three stars on a scale of 5 - four stars if there were no cows. But the continuity and scale of the narrows of The Barracks do not compete with the North Fork Narrows. Just doesn't.
Read MoreMy niece Rylin was in town. After a brief stint as a PT Intern in South Africa, and before heading to Portland to finish up her edumacation as a Physical Therapist, she scheduled a week in the Utah desert with her MAN (Eric), and a friend from Portland, now doing Residency in Grand Junction, Anne.
Read MoreIt WAS hot out, but a north-running canyon, early start and projected cloud cover combined to make this reasonable. THIS being exploring a branch of Echo Canyon that comes off Cable Mountain. The team for this adventure was Kody Prisbrey from St G, Jonathan Zambella from Springdale, Felicia Bicknell from Phoenix and me.
Read MoreIt is hot out, this year. WAY hotter than normal, so how can Fat Man’s be made reasonable?
Read MoreA rematch was called for, obviously! Our trip of May first had left part of the canyon undone. And a bunch of rope stuck.
Read MoreOver the last 13 years, I have done Imlay Canyon many times. I believe I have succeeded in doing it every year since, though my record-keeping is non-OCD, so who knows?
Read MoreWorthy of faint praise. After a couple years of not quite getting around to the mighty Jolley Gulch, finally did the canyon today with Felicia and it was not nearly as nondescript as I expected.
We rallied at 9 am at the East Rim Trail parking lot, which was packed. Felicia immediately gained massive points by handing me a scone from Deep Creek Coffee Haus, we loaded up ropes and stuff and hiked up the trail. I suggested a shortcut which while definitely short required some 4th class climbing and probably only cost us 15 minutes, and soon-ish or maybe soon enough we were at the head of Jolley Gulch.
Brian had done it. Kip had done it. Jonathan had done it. Ram had done it, but I hadn't done it. Looking forward to a second edition of the guidebook, I really ought to do it, even though they had made it sound not-so-appealing.
Read MoreKody invited me over for a lap down Johnson Arch Canyon in St George, and said the magic words: “no need for an early start”. I’m in!
Read MoreFinally, a storm brought moisture upon us, first time since New Years. Not the best timing, however, as Ram was just blowing into town.
Read MoreThe last couple years, Ramoo has put together a wondrous start to Freezefest doing a BIG canyon on Christmas Day - our contribution to the War on Christmas, I suppose. 2010 was Choprock, which I missed, being sick as a dog.
Read MoreDirty, loose, scary, confusing. Rotting fixed ropes festoon the route. "I've never been so scared on 5.5!"
Edited description:
Read MoreMike casually mentioned he had his eye on a certain canyon, a painfully obvious one, in the heart of Zion. "No way", I said. "I've been looking at that for 5 years!"
Read MoreZion's Subway is a wonderful, beautiful canyon, enjoyed by many people in several different ways. I made a run through on a recent weekend to re-locate the first anchor, bolted this spring but not in the best place (from my point of view).
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